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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

J, L. JOHNSTONE. MACHINE FOR STARTING RACES.

No. 597,984; Patented Jan. 25, 1898.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheeb 2.

J. L. JOHNSTONE.-

MACHINE FOR STARTING RACES.

No. 597,984. Patented Jan. 25,1898.

I'Vifizwasm Z50. W W,

PATENT union.

JOHN LAWSON JOHNSTONE, OF FOOTSORAY, VICTORIA.

MACHINE FOR STARTING RACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 597,984, dated January25, 1898.

Application filed September 30, 1897. Serial No. 653,635. (No model.)Patented in Victoria September 11, 1893, No. 10,809; in New $0uth Wales.Tune I, 1894, No. 5,091; in Queensland November 12, 1894, No. 2,820; inSouth Australia November 24, 1894:, lilo. 2,825, and in Indie. February24:,1896,No.350- 7V proved Machine for Startin g Races, (for which Ihave obtained foreign patents as follows: in Queensland, No. 2,820,dated November 12, 1894; in New South Wales, No. 5,091, dated June 7,1894; in Victoria, N 0. 10,809, dated September 11, 1893; in SouthAustralia, No.

' 2,825, dated November 24-, 1894, and in India,

No. 350, dated February 2%, 1896,) of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to what are known as starting-machines that is,to those classes of machines which are used for starting horse and otherraces. Its object is to provide a starting-machine which will not beexpensive to construct, but which will be simple and efficient and notliable to get out of order, and one, moreover, which will admit of thebarrier being easily removed from one part of the course to another.

The essential feature of this invention consists in the use of anelastic or tensional barrier in combination with converging guides orways up which said barrier travels automatically on its release.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood, it will bedescribed with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a plan, Fig. 2 afront elevation, and Fig. 3 a side elevation, of astarting-machine constructed accordingto this invention, while Figs. 4to 11 are various Views illustrating details of the machine.

from the upper ends of the uprights A down to (by preference) alaterally-adjustable support-such, for instance, as the carriage O andthey are by preference covered with lengths of rubber tubing 1) or othernoise-preventing material, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, whichrepresent a side and an end view of said carriage and part of the armupon which it is adjustable. This arm D projects outwardly from a shortpost d, secured in the ground sufficiently far behind the uprights A togive the preferred inclination to the guides B. Said arm D may be boltedrigidly to its post (1 orit may be pivotally connected thereto by a boltor stud d, as shown, while its outer end is held in position bya stay 0Zfitted with a screw-tightener, as shown.

The arm D is curved to correspond to the radius of a circle struck fromthe top of the upright A, so that the carriage G can be moved along itfor the purpose of adjusting the angle of convergence of the twoinclined guides or ways B, the barrier having previously been raised tothe upper end of said guides or ways.

' In order that said carriage may be held in any desired position uponsaid arm, the latter is provided with a number of holes (Z through whicha pin, such as d can be passed.

The elastic or tensional barrier is constructed, preferably, of a numberof coir ropesll, the ends of which are connected to a number of lengthsF of rubber or other elastic material or springs through the medium ofstretcherbars f and hooks or other connections. The outer ends of theelastic lengths are connected to cross-arms f, provided with travelersG, arranged to run up the inclined guides B. These travelers arepivotally connected to said cross-arms, as illustrated at f The way inwhich the lengths of elastic F are secured to the stretcher-bars f andcross-armsf' is clearly illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 8, and 9-that is, eachend of said lengths of rubber is fitted with a cap or socket H, whichmay be constructed of metal, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, or of apiece of leather sewed together, as shown in Fig. 9. In either case thissocket is made to taper, and the end of the length F of rubber havingbeen passed through it and having had a slit or cut formed through itnear its extreme end the wedge 7?. may be passed through this cut andwill serve to securely jam the end of the rubber in the socket H.

It is necessary to shorten the ropes E somefand a knot 2' is tied in theend of such rope,

which is then passed around itself and secured with a half-hitch, asillustrated in Fig. 6. This method of securing the ropesis an eX-ceedingly useful one, not only because it al lows of the slack of theropes being readily taken up by pulling on the free end and slidin g theknot'i farther away from the stretcherbar f, but because in case ofaccident-as, for instance, in the event of a horse jumping into thebarrier the ropes can be let go instantly and the horse released beforeany damage can be done.

Each of the travelers G, to which the ends of the barrier are connected,is provided with a short length of wire or a link 9, fitted at its lowerend with a ring or loop g,.adapted to be placed in engagment (when thebarrier has been drawn down) with the short projecting arms j of a pairof firing-levers J, which are fulcrumed, as illustrated at j, upon thecarriage C. These firing-levers may either be held in their operativepositions by mechanical or electrical means. If it is preferred toemploy a mechanical firing-gear, then wires, such as K, are connected tothe free end of each of said levers and led over suitably-arrangedpulleys to some convenient position alongside the starters stand L. Herethe two wires K are joined together and may either be held in the handand simply let go when the barrier is to be released or they can befitted with a catch-plate, such as is illustrated at in Figs. 10 and 11,said platebeing pro vided with projecting pins 70, engaging withhook-shaped ends of two fixed cheek-plates k which are secured upon anyconvenient supportas, for instance, upon the back of one of the uprightsA. The firing trigger or handle k is also pivoted or mounted betweenthese checks k and is constructed with a proj ecting nose-piece 70 whichis so arranged that when the handle 70 is depressed it will force theplate 70 out of engagement with the hook-shaped cheeks 71: and will thusrelease same, the eifect being that the firing-levers J J will bereleased and will allow the barrier to ascend and at the same time moveforward in the same direction as the horses, if preferred, although theguides might be set so that said barrier could be made to travel in anydesired direction. It will be readily understood that the strain of thebarrier on the short arms of the firing-levers J J will, when saidlevers are released, turn them around, so that they will set saidbarrier free and allow it to travel clear of the horses.

In lieu of this mechanical arrangement electromagnets, such as M, may beprovided upon each carriage O and be arranged to attract the free end ofthe firing-levers J, and they may be coupled up in circuit with abattery and a switch arranged near the starters stand L, so that thestarter can by operating said switch break the circuit through saidmagnets and thus release the firing-levers J. The same electric currentcan also be used to sound a gong on any part of the course, start astop-watch or a chronometer in the judges box, and, if desired, releasea flag on the course. The cores of the magnets are preferably fittedwith slightly-projecting brass pins to prevent the firing-leverssticking to them after the current has been cut off.

Vhen in use, the guides B are curved as the barrier ascends, the resultbeingthat at the commencement the angle of convergence is greater, andthus the effect on the barrier will be greatest at the commencement ofits travel, whereas toward theend the curves are the other way, and thusthe guides act as brakes to bring the barrier gradually to a standstill.c

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed,

' I declare that what I claim is- 1. In a machine for starting races,the combination with guides or ways, one at each side of the track,converging toward each other and inclined upward in the direction of thetrack, of an elastic barrier extending across the track between suchguides or ways and having its ends slidably supported thereon, saidbarrier being normally held under tension in a lowered position onsuchguides or ways, whereby, in the operation of the device, when thebarrier is released the retraction of its elastic members will causesaid barrier to slide upward on the guides or ways, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a machine for starting races, the combination with guides or ways,one at each side of the track, converging toward each other, and havingtheir lower ends laterally adj ust able, of a barrier slidably supportedon said guides or ways, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for starting races, the combination with guides or waysat opposite sides of the track and suitable supports therefor. of armssecured to the supports at one end of each guide or way having acarriage mounted thereon to which one end of each guide or way isattached, and an elastic or tensional barrier slidably supported on saidguides or ways, substantially as described.

4:. In a machine for starting races, the combination with a long and ashort upright at each side of the track, of a laterally-projecting armsecured to each short upright, a carriage adjustably mounted thereon,guides or ways secured at their upper ends to said long uprights and attheir lower ends to said carriages, and an elastic or tensional barrierslidably supported on said guides or ways, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for starting races, the combination with rubber-coveredguides or ways, one at each side of the track, of a barrier extendingacross the track and having at its ends Wheels adapted. to run 011 saidguides or Ways, whereby the operation of the device is renderedpractically noiseless, substantially as described.

G. In a machine, for starting races, the combination with guides orWays, one at each side of the track, converging toward each other, andsupports therefor, of an elastic or tensional barrier slidably supportedin said guides or Ways, and holding and releasing mechanism for saidbarrier comprising levers pivotally mounted on the supports at one endof the guides or Ways, arms carried by the barrier detachably connected,respectively, to one end of each of said levers, pulleys mounted 011asuitable support, Wires connected to the other ends of said levers andextended over said pulleys and having their ends joined, catch-platessecured to said lastnamed support, a wire connected to the joined endsof said Wires and having at its ends a JOHN LAWSON JOHNSTONE.

Witnesses:

EDWARD WATER-s, Junn, WALTER SMYTHE BAYSTON.

